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Jamar high on Giants' ruck list

Jake Niall

Mark Jamar of the Demons and Dean Cox of the Eagles. Photo: Getty Images

MELBOURNE'S All-Australian ruckman Mark Jamar is among the mature ruckmen coming out of contract that Greater Western Sydney is eyeing off as potential signings for next year.

Carlton's Robbie Warnock, who is behind young gun Matthew Kreuzer in the pecking order at the Blues, is another without a contract for 2013 whom industry sources say the Giants have identified as a potential recruit, though his manager says he is yet to discuss Warnock with GWS.

While GWS has already taken a significant uncontracted signing from the Demons in Tom Scully, the new team is permitted to sign up Jamar because he is a free agent. Under the rules, the Giants can sign only one uncontracted player per club, but this doesn't include the new free agents - restricted (minimum eight years service) or unrestricted (10 years minimum) - who can go to any of the 18 teams.

Thus, the new club can take a second out-of-contract player from Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide - the clubs that lost key players to the expansion team, provided that player is a free agent. Last year, the new club was allowed to sign only one uncontracted player from each of the 17 clubs.

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Essendon's Patrick Ryder also is out of contract at season's end and is a favourite of GWS coach Kevin Sheedy, the Giants having already pursued the Bombers' boom key forward Michael Hurley and arguably forced Essendon to sign him to a hefty five-year contract. Kreuzer is out of contract too, but is considered a near-certainty to re-sign with the Blues, who also have Bryce Gibbs and Chris Yarran coming out of contract.

Geelong's Trent West is another out-of-contract ruckman. Sources say he has told the Cats he is keen to stay.

Clearly, Kreuzer is the priority signing for the Blues, in terms of ruckmen, ahead of Warnock, whose manager, Colin Young, said ''categorically'' that he had not yet had discussions with GWS about Warnock. Young said he would talk to GWS about ''all my players'' over the next four weeks.

GWS has identified the ruck and a strong key defender as its priorities, in terms of bringing in mature players. The Giants are relying on ex-Port Adelaide bigman Brogan, who is 33 and might play only this year, and journeyman Jonathan Giles, to carry to their rucks. The ruck shapes as the easier position to fill, given the number of out-of-contract options and even the ranks of contracted ruckmen, who want more opportunities in a three interchange, one-substitute system that makes it hard for some specialist rucks who cannot play forward.

Fremantle's Jonathon Griffin, who played only seven games last year and is behind the dominant Aaron Sandilands, is also among the ruckmen who could become available.

Jamar's manager Tom Petroro declined to comment on his client last night.

Jamar, 28, had his career year in 2010, when he made All-Australian and remains Melbourne's top ruckman.